Quinoa with Pesto and Fresh Cheese

I was amazed at the amount of emails and comments I recieved after my post on forbidden rice. People really want recipies on more interesting and flavorful ways to prepare grains! Quinoa with Basil Pesto and Fresh Cheese is an incredibly flavorful and healthy side dish. You can also add vegetables or protein to create a wonderful main course. I love how the cheese gives the quinoa some creaminess and the rich pesto imparts tons of flavor. Although considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and Swiss chard. It is a protein-rich seed that becomes fluffy and nutty when cooked.

Quinoa (pronounced "KEEN-wah") is a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. This is a fabulous food that should be a staple for vegans, vegetarians and those with Celiac Disease* or gluten sensitivities. It is a very good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. It is especially high in the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. Quinoa is incredibly beneficial to those with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis (heart disease).

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water or chicken/vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup basil pesto (see Beet, Pesto and Goat Cheese Crostini for recipe)
  
• 1/2 cup homemade cheese, farmers cheese from the store, cream cheese or your favorite cheese 
• top with optional diced basil, tomato or walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the pesto and the cheese. When I made the dish this time, I substituted walnuts for the pine nuts in the pesto, and it created a really nice texture when combined with the quinoa.
Thoroughly wash the quinoa seeds in cold water by gently rubbing the seeds together with your hands. Rinse and repeat twice.

Add the rinsed qunioa and water/broth to a saucepan. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cooking time takes 15-20 minutes. When the quinoa is complete, you will notice that the grains have become fluffy and lighter and the white germ has partially detached itself. Fluff the quinoa and gently fold in the pesto and the cheese. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and sprinkle on optional toppings.

*Most people with Celiac Disease are able to eat quinoa, but if you have Celiac's and have never eaten quinoa, I recommend trying a little bit to see how your system responds.

Flu-fighting Chicken Soup

Flu season is upon us. Many of my friends have already been sick and we are just at the beginning. Since people around us probably don’t want us to munch on raw garlic all day to ward off viruses, we need to eat nutrient-rich foods that have strong immune-boosting powers. Chicken soup has long been touted as one of the best foods for a cold or flu. The main reason is that it nourishes and repairs a mucous lining of our gut that is directly connected to our immune system.

The following are my favorite immune system boosters. These foods are packed full of nutrients and are warm and comforting. I have included ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon, coconut milk and shitake mushrooms. Shitake mushrooms have an active compound called lentinan. Lentinans have a ton of healing benefits and are fabulous at kick-starting the immune system and strengthening its ability to fight infection and disease. Studies have shown lentinans to be even more effective than prescription drugs in fighting cold and flu viruses. Shitakes contain selenium, iron, protein, dietary fiber and vitamin C.

First, I am going to show you how to make your own stock. You may decide to skip this step for the coconut chicken soup recipe that follows, but I highly recommend that you make your own broth. Store bought broths simply cannot stand up to the nutrients in home-made stock. For this recipe, you can use a store-bought chicken, however using leftover chicken (including bones) from an earlier chicken dinner works just as well.


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Step 1: Chicken Stock


INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole free-range or organic chicken (cut into pieces) or chicken bones as mentioned above
• 4 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, mashed
• 1 cup shitake mushroom stems (the tops will be used for the soup below)
• optional dried sea vegetables (such as kombu)

DIRECTIONS


Place all items in a pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the top. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook, covered, for 6-24 hours. The longer it cooks, the healthier and tastier it is. Strain the stock and store in a large jar in the fridge. Fat may rise to the top and you can just scoop that off. It is great to take some stock and freeze it in ice cube trays and then remove the stock “ice cubes” and store them in the freezer. Then you will have nutritious stock on hand for making soups, cooking grains, etc.


Step 2: Coconut Chicken Soup


INGREDIENTS

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 ½ cups coconut milk
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
• sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS


Bring the stock to a boil and add the coconut milk, red pepper, ginger and lemon. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add shitake mushrooms and sea salt to taste. Cook 5 minutes longer. Eat, enjoy and be well!


*Please note that this is a mild healing soup and not a robust "dinner party" soup.

Grilled Halibut with Chimichurri Sauce

I received a lot of emails about the Chimichurri Sauce from my lamb chop post, so I decided to do a post focusing on this delicious condiment from Argentina. According to my friend who is Argentinean, this sauce is a perfect expression of traditional cuisine, where a protein is simply salted, cooked and seasoned with herbs. Chimichurri can be used as a sauce for a variety of foods and also makes a great marinade. Also, with the garlic, parsley and lemon juice, this sauce is perfect for the upcoming flu season.

Chimichurri Sauce is traditionally prepared with steak (especially skirt steak), however it can be used to season just about anything. And don’t be deterred if you are a vegetarian---this sauce is great over grilled vegetables or tossed with grains or pasta. For this meal, I decided to pair it with my favorite fish, halibut. Halibut is a sweet white fish that is firm and easy to cook. It is nutrient-dense, providing high levels of protein, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins. Halibut, like other cold water fish, is known for its beneficial Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are plentiful in the American diet and it is important to eat enough Omega-3’s to keep a proper balance between the two. A lack of this balance promotes inflammation which contributes to many chronic diseases. Getting enough Omega 3’s is important for heart health, stroke prevention, lowering cholesterol, cancer prevention, improved mood, as well as healthy hair, skin and nails.


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INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley, packed
• sea salt and black pepper (about ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper)

• 2 halibut fillets, about 6 ounces each
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Combine the first six ingredients and let sit for at least 2 hours before serving. Simple!

Meanwhile, prepare grill pan by brushing it with oil. Then place on the stove over medium-high heat. Pat fish dry, then brush with extra-virgin oil and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Grill fish, turning once, until just cooked through. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes total. Remember, once you put the fish down, don’t move it until you are ready to turn it or it will stick.

Serve fish drizzled with some of the chimichurri sauce and serve the remainder on the side.